We Will Not Fall
by TheRealMomoisme
Summary: A simple KOTOR love story between a pair where there isn't enough. Rating has changed, eventually you will see why.
1. Chapter 1

Alari Selwyn. Scoundrel for the Republic. Former smuggler and survivor of the destruction of Taris. That's all she was... right?

Unfortunately from what Saul Karath seemed to be saying, there was more to her story. But he wasn't telling. "What history?" Alari demanded. "What are you talking about?"

"You mean..." He paused, a sadistic smile spreading over his face. "Oh this can't be true, can it? You really don't know what's going on here, do you?" He chuckled. "Well, I won't be the one to deprive Malak of the pleasure of telling you himself."

"The Dark Lord will no doubt torture you for information, and for his own twisted pleasure. Eventually you will tell him everything. The Sith can be very persuasive."

He waved to a technician, who started messing with the dials on the control pad near the stasis fields. "However, Lord Malak is in another sector. It may be some time before he arrives, so I suppose I will have to fill in for him until then. Activate the torture fields."

It was a moment, just a moment, but the pain was so intense it nearly made Alari black out. Nothing she'd ever felt was this bad, she couldn't describe it. She knew the mechanics of these. They literally manipulated the nerves in people's bodies to make them feel the worst pain imaginable, but she'd never felt it before. She wished she hadn't.

Her head dropped into her hands as her brain shut down, waiting for the pain to stop.

"Enough!" Karath commanded. The pain stopped. "I don't want them to pass out before I can question them. Malak will appreciate any information I can give him when he arrives."

"Don't waste your breath, Saul," Carth snarled. "We won't answer any of your questions."

"I'm sure you won't," Karath said. "However, we both know your friend's loyalties have proven in the past to be somewhat... flexible." He laughed quietly at his own joke.

"My loyalty is as true as Carth's!" Alari exclaimed.

"Then it's time to put your loyalty to the test. I doubt torturing you will gain me your true cooperation. Your will is too strong to be broken that way." That smile again. "However, even the strongest of heroes has trouble watching those they care about suffer."

He nods again to the technician. "The interrogation will begin now. Each time you refuse to answer or give a false one, Carth will suffer."

Alari's immediate response was to throw herself on the chopping block to save him, who wouldn't? But she knew how sick and twisted these.. creatures were. It wouldn't save Carth, and it would mean betraying her masters. "I will not betray the Jedi," she said calmly. "Not even to save Carth."

"My pain is meaningless," Carth yelled. "Tell him nothing!"

"I tire of these games," Karath spat. "Now I want answers. On what planet is the Jedi academy at which you were trained?"

"Alderaan," she lied. "They're on Alderaan."

Saul Karath was not impressed. "Alderaan is nothing but a planet of artisans and philosophers. There is no training academy there. You must think this is a game. Very well, this is the price of your resistance."

Carth started screaming as the torture field went up again. She knew the pain well already, and felt terrible, but she wouldn't tell Karath the truth. Ever.

"Enough!" The field went down. "Now you see what happens when you try to defy me? That question was a test. Obviously Malak knew the Academy was on Dantooine, and it has since been destroyed by our fleet!"

Alari heard Bastila gasp, and felt her pain through the bond they shared. Even though they hadn't been there long, she felt the same as the woman next to her.

"Dantooine is an empty graveyard now. Nothing remains but the charred bodies of your former masters."

"No! I don't believe you!" Alari yelled.

"It doesn't matter whether you believe me or not. The fact remains that the Jedi on Dantooine have been eradicated, along with the hopes of someone coming to rescue you." He cackled at that.

"Now tell me your mission. How were the Jedi planning on using you to stop Lord Malak and our Sith Armada?"

"We have been sent to assassinate Lord Malak," Alari replied, lying through her teeth yet again.

"Do you take me for a fool?" Karath demanded. "The Jedi are not assassins- they would never devise such a plan. Perhaps you need a reminder of the consquences of refusing to cooperate."

"No!" Carth screamed. "The pai- the pain!" He screamed again.

"Listen, can you not hear him suffering?" Karath asked cruelly. "You can spare him further pain by simply answering my questions."

Alari curled her lip in a snarl, but said nothing.

"Now I will ask again- on what mission did the Jedi Council send you?"

"You are a sick and twisted man, Saul Karath," Alari spat.

"Perhaps another lesson is in order?"

Yet again Carth screamed, and loudly."I beg you, mercy! N- Agh!"

It tore at her, she wanted to scream herself. There was no Force bond between them, but there was something, and it hurt her.

"I am surprised he did not pass out sooner," Saul said, sounding impressed. "Rarely have I seen someone withstand such punishment and remain conscious."

"I see I am wasting my time here. When Malak arrives you will learn my interrogation techniques are considered merciful among the Sith. I will leave you here in your cells with a small taste of the horrors you will suffer when Lord Malak arrives."

**The technician pressed a button and yet again Alari felt the pain, ten times worse than the last. Before long, she faded away, into blackness. **


	2. Chapter 2

When she came to, she stood from her curled up position in the bottom of the cell. Karath was gone, and there was no more screaming. Or debilitating pain, just the remnants of her muscles spasming in agony.

"Don't try to move too quickly," she heard a voice say. Bastila. "You might not be full recovered yet. Admiral Karath had his guards continue to torture you even after you passed out."

"They tortured all of us," Carth said. "though you got the worst of it by far. Saul wanted to make us suffer. He's become some sort of sadistic monster."

"The dark side has perverted him, Carth," Bastila explained. "Once you start down the tainted path, it leads you further into the depths of evil. I fear he is forever lost."

"No one is without hope of redemption, Bastila," Alari reminded her gently.

"Yes, I suppose you're right. Sometimes it is easy to lose sight of that hope in the face of such unbridled cruelty, but you speak the truth." She sighed. "I suppose I'm taking the news of Dantooine's destruction quite hard. First Taris, now the academy. Is there no end to the killing?"

"Maybe he was lying?" Alari suggested half heartedly.

"I like to believe that Saul was lying to us, but even as he said the words I knew they were true. The Academy is gone."

Alari nodded. Even a padawan like herself had felt it as well. Still, what Karath had said was nagging at her. What was he talking about?

"We should have felt the disturbance in the Force when the attack came," Bastila said, jerking her out of her thoughts. "The fact that we didn't is a bad sign. I fear the dark side is growing stronger, casting shadows our vision cannot pierce. I can only hope that some of the Jedi escaped. Vrook, Vandar, Zhar... I cannot imagine all of them being gone. In any case, we have lost our one place of refuge in the galaxy."

"None of this will matter if we don't get out of this prison before Saul gets back!" Carth snapped.

"Where is he now?" Alari asked.

"Saul mentioned that Lord Malak was on his way. I think the Admiral left to prepare for his arrival... and to report the results of our interrogation."

"It is fortunate you were able to resist the Admiral's questioning. The fate of the galaxy could be changed by revealing the slightest piece of vital information."

Everyone was quiet for a moment until Carth spoke up. "I, uh.. have to confess something. There was a moment- just a moment- when part of me was hoping you ould tell him what he wanted to know. Just to make the pain stop."

"Sorry, Carth," Alari said, frowning. "Watching you suffer tore me apart."

"No, I know you would never do anything to intentionally cause me pain. But, you had no other choice. You couldn't betray our cause." He tilted his head. "I don't honestly know if I could have been as strong in your position. To watch you suffer like that... I might have cracked."

"Did you feel that?" Bastila interrupted. "A disturbance in the Force. The Admiral has sent his message, the Dark Lord knows we are here now. Malak is coming."

"Well then we'd better hope HK-47 busts out out of here before he arrives."


	3. Chapter 3

It was practically a maze to get to the bridge, including a trek outside the ship itself in space suits. The soldiers that got in their way were no match for the two Jedi and the war hero, though, and it was more or less simple to get through to the bridge. They stood at the doors, ready to go in. Alari and Carth's eyes met, and there was that gleam again. The doors opened, and they entered the room.

There were multiple soldiers around the room, and two dark Jedi near Saul Karath. Alari started planning- she'd put the Jedi and Karath in a stasis field and take care of them while Carth and Bastila got rid of the soldiers.

"Very resourceful," Karath said from the main deck. "I assume you had some part in this; you learned your lessons well from me."

"The only thing you taught me was betrayal and death, Saul," Carth said, calm tone underlined with menace.

"Don't be a fool," Karath replied. "I am giving you and your companions a chance to surrender. A chance to live. Darth Malak himself is on his way, he will be arriving any moment."

"He speaks the truth, Carth," Bastila warned. "I can feel the Dark Lord's presence approaching."

"Malak will destroy you, but if you throw down your weapons now I will ask my Master to be merciful."

"I've seen enough of Sith mercy," Carth growled.

"You always did like to do things the hard way." Saul's calm exterior was broken, showing the madman that lay underneath. "Lord Malak would have preferred live prisoners, but corpses will have to do."

The battle began. As Bastila and Carth began making their way to Saul Karath slowly, Alari leaped toward him. She threw a stasis field around the surrounding area, freezing the two dark Jedi and Saul as planned. He was the first to be cut down, and the dark Jedi followed him. The last soldier was killed. However, just as Alari turned to the computer…

"Carth," the Admiral called weakly. "Carth..."

"He's still alive!" Bastila exclaimed.

"It's time to finish this," Carth said, stalking toward him.

"No, Carth!" Alari called out. "Don't give in to your hatred?"

"Don't you understand what this man has done to my life?" he demanded, slashing his blaster in empty air. "Do you know the pain he's brought me!?"

"Killing him won't ease the pain, Carth!" Bastila said. "Do not become what you despise."

"Carth," the admiral coughed out. "... must tell you... must tell you something... come closer..."

Carth kneeled next to Saul Karath. The Admiral whispered something, before laughing as maniacally as a dying man can. "You didn't know, did you?" He laughed again. "Remember my dying words. Remember them whenever... whenever you look at those you thought were your friends." He gave one last gasp of pain, and Alari sensed he was dead.

"He's gone," Carth said, shaking his head quickly. "He said... it can't be true, can it? No. No... no- it can't! Damn you Saul! Damn you!"

"Forget it Carth," Alari said, trying to comfort him. "Whatever he said, he was only trying to hurt you."

Carth ignored her. "Bastila- it is true, isn't it? And.. and you knew! You and the whole damn Jedi Council. You knew the whole time!"

"Carth, it's not what you think." Why was Bastila reasoning with him? Alari thought back to what Saul said in the prison block. Was it about her? "We had no other choice! Please, you don't understand."

"So make me understand!" he roared.

"What are you two talking about?!" Alari demanded, a little afraid. "What's going on?"

"Not here, Carth, Alari. Please... there's no time. Malak is coming. This isn't the place."

"Fine," Carth snarled. "But we will talk about this later."

Bastila nodded, Alari looked confused, Carth looked pissed. Alari was the first to break the triangle, and tapped into the controls to open the doors that had been shut before the bridge, as well as the hangar doors. She walked out of the room, followed by Bastila, who was followed by a very angry Carth.

Something was very wrong, Alari could tell. What was left of their friendship after the torture was gone. Bastila felt only fear, but she hid it well. Alari could only tell because of their bond. Carth, on the other hand, was easy to read. He was furious.

There were a few more soldiers and dark Jedi on the way to the elevator that were easily taken care of. Carth was a little more aggressive in his fighting than before, it was fortunate he had a blaster and not a vibroblade! Finally, they made it to the hallway before the hanger.

Two doors opened on their way through, full of grenadiers, officers, and heavy troopers. A barracks? No matter, they died easily, though Alari no longer relished the fight like she did before. The trio left the room and ascended and then descended the ramp, though what met them could not have been more surprising.


	4. Chapter 4

It was practically a maze to get to the bridge, including a trek outside the ship itself in space suits. The soldiers that got in their way were no match for the two Jedi and the war hero, though, and it was more or less simple to get through to the bridge. They stood at the doors, ready to go in. Alari and Carth's eyes met, and there was that gleam again. The doors opened, and they entered the room.

There were multiple soldiers around the room, and two dark Jedi near Saul Karath. Alari started planning- she'd put the Jedi and Karath in a stasis field and take care of them while Carth and Bastila got rid of the soldiers.

"Very resourceful," Karath said from the main deck. "I assume you had some part in this; you learned your lessons well from me."

"The only thing you taught me was betrayal and death, Saul," Carth said, calm tone underlined with menace.

"Don't be a fool," Karath replied. "I am giving you and your companions a chance to surrender. A chance to live. Darth Malak himself is on his way, he will be arriving any moment."

"He speaks the truth, Carth," Bastila warned. "I can feel the Dark Lord's presence approaching."

"Malak will destroy you, but if you throw down your weapons now I will ask my Master to be merciful."

"I've seen enough of Sith mercy," Carth growled.

"You always did like to do things the hard way." Saul's calm exterior was broken, showing the madman that lay underneath. "Lord Malak would have preferred live prisoners, but corpses will have to do."

The battle began. As Bastila and Carth began making their way to Saul Karath slowly, Alari leaped toward him. She threw a stasis field around the surrounding area, freezing the two dark Jedi and Saul as planned. He was the first to be cut down, and the dark Jedi followed him. The last soldier was killed. However, just as Alari turned to the computer…

"Carth," the Admiral called weakly. "Carth..."

"He's still alive!" Bastila exclaimed.

"It's time to finish this," Carth said, stalking toward him.

"No, Carth!" Alari called out. "Don't give in to your hatred?"

"Don't you understand what this man has done to my life?" he demanded, slashing his blaster in empty air. "Do you know the pain he's brought me!?"

"Killing him won't ease the pain, Carth!" Bastila said. "Do not become what you despise."

"Carth," the admiral coughed out. "... must tell you... must tell you something... come closer..."

Carth kneeled next to Saul Karath. The Admiral whispered something, before laughing as maniacally as a dying man can. "You didn't know, did you?" He laughed again. "Remember my dying words. Remember them whenever... whenever you look at those you thought were your friends." He gave one last gasp of pain, and Alari sensed he was dead.

"He's gone," Carth said, shaking his head quickly. "He said... it can't be true, can it? No. No... no- it can't! Damn you Saul! Damn you!"

"Forget it Carth," Alari said, trying to comfort him. "Whatever he said, he was only trying to hurt you."

Carth ignored her. "Bastila- it is true, isn't it? And.. and you knew! You and the whole damn Jedi Council. You knew the whole time!"

"Carth, it's not what you think." Why was Bastila reasoning with him? Alari thought back to what Saul said in the prison block. Was it about her? "We had no other choice! Please, you don't understand."

"So make me understand!" he roared.

"What are you two talking about?!" Alari demanded, a little afraid. "What's going on?"

"Not here, Carth, Alari. Please... there's no time. Malak is coming. This isn't the place."

"Fine," Carth snarled. "But we will talk about this later."

Bastila nodded, Alari looked confused, Carth looked pissed. Alari was the first to break the triangle, and tapped into the controls to open the doors that had been shut before the bridge, as well as the hangar doors. She walked out of the room, followed by Bastila, who was followed by a very angry Carth.

Something was very wrong, Alari could tell. What was left of their friendship after the torture was gone. Bastila felt only fear, but she hid it well. Alari could only tell because of their bond. Carth, on the other hand, was easy to read. He was furious.

There were a few more soldiers and dark Jedi on the way to the elevator that were easily taken care of. Carth was a little more aggressive in his fighting than before, it was fortunate he had a blaster and not a vibroblade! Finally, they made it to the hallway before the hanger.

Two doors opened on their way through, full of grenadiers, officers, and heavy troopers. A barracks? No matter, they died easily, though Alari no longer relished the fight like she did before. The trio left the room and ascended and then descended the ramp, though what met them could not have been more surprising.


	5. Chapter 5

Alari had seen holocrons, she'd seen posters, but those were nothing compared to the Dark Lord in person. He was terrifying, taller than what she'd seen, and all around intimidating. As he walked up throught the doors to meet them, only one word came to mind. Death.

"Darth Malak," Bastila said.

"Down you go!" Carth yelled, and shot at him with his blaster.

Malak merely deflected the shot with his lightsaber, and used the Force to shove him to the ground.

He laughed an evil laugh before speaking. "I hope you weren't thinking of leaving so soon, Bastila," he said in his synthesized voice. "I've spent far too much energy hunting down you and your companions to let you get away from me now."

Carth stood as Malak kept speaking. "Besides, I had to see for myself if it was true. Even now I can hardly believe my eyes. Tell me, why did the Jedi spare you. Is it vengeance you seek at this reunion?"

"This meeting was inevitable, Malak!" Alari exclaimed, pushing aside her doubts.

"As is the outcome. I am actually surprised this confrontation did not happen sooner, given how powerful your mind once was. Even the combined power of the Jedi Council couldn't keep your true identity buried forever, could it?"

Alari frowned, wracking her brain for whatever he could be talking about? What identity?

"The Jedi do not believe in killing their prisoners," she remembered Bastila saying. "No one deserves execution, no matter what their crimes."

"The Council would not normally accept an adult for training," Master Zhar said. "but this is a special case."

"They say the Force can do terrible things to the mind," Carth said once again. "It can wipe away your memories and even destroy your very identity."

She once again saw all of the Star Maps and their locations. "Revan visited each of these worlds searching for clues to reveal hidden locations of the Star Forge," Bastila said.

"The lure of the dark side is difficult to resist," Master Vrook said. "I fear this quest to find the Star Forge may lead you down an all too familiar path."

"What greater weapon is there than to turn an enemy to your cause?" There was Bastila again. "To use their own knowledge against them."

Alari gasped as she remembered fighting Bastila, a red lightsaber in her hands. She remembered a planet, one she'd never been to as Alari, and surveying it without her ever present mask.

Was she... Revan?

"No..." she said, shaking her head angrily to rid herself of the thoughts. "This is some kind of trick! A Sith lie!"

"You do not yet remember, Revan? The Jedi set a trap. They lured us into battle against a small Republic fleet. During the attack, a team of Jedi knights boarded your ship. The Jedi strike team captured you, and the Council used the Force to reprogram your mind; they wiped away your identity, and turned you against your followers!"

"You mean I'm really... your Master?" The idea was too strange for Alari to comprehend.

Malak laughed coldly. "Once I served you, Revan, but I always knew that one day the title of Dark Lord would be mine! When the Jedi boarded your vessel, I saw my chance had come. I ordered my own ships to fire on your bridge. I thought I could destroy all my enemies with a single, glorious victory! I never dreamed the Jedi would take you alive from the wreckage."

"But why did you betray-" she almost said "me" but instead said, "your master?"

"You mean, why did I betray you, Revan. You are the one who taught me the ways of the Sith: the strongest must rule if we are to survive!"

"You knew I would one day challenge you for supremacy, but you underestimated me. I acted sooner than you expected and seized the Sith throne with a single brilliant stroke!"

"Why wouldn't the Jedi simply kill me?" Alari demanded, risking a glance at Bastila, who looked both afraid and shamefaced.

"The Jedi are fools; they do not believe in executing prisoners. Originally I assumed you had died in the battle. Imagine my surprise when I found out you were still alive, Revan."

"Bastila," Alari said quietly. "Is this true?"

"It's true," she said, looking up. "I was part of the team sent to capture Reva- to capture you. When Malak fired on the ship, you were badly injured. We thought you were dead. Your mind was destroyed, but I used the force to preserve the flicker of life in your body. I brought you to the Jedi Council. They were the ones who healed your damaged mind."

"These memories I have," Alari said, confused. "Where did they come from?"

"The Jedi Council didn't restore your wounded mind, Revan!" Malak crowed. "They merely programmed it with a new identity- one loyal to the Republic! They tried to make you their slave!

Anger coursed through the Jedi's mind, seething and white hot. It took her a moment, but she remembered the Jedi Code. There is no emotion, there is peace. "I understand, Bastila. You had no other choice."

"Forgiveness, Revan?" the Dark Lord asked derisively. "You are weak; I was right to betray you. You are not fit to rule the Sith! A small part of me has always regretted betraying you from afar. I always knew there were some who would think I acted out of fear, that I did not want to face you. But now Fate has given me a second change to prove myself. Once I defeat you in combat, no one will question my claim to the Sith throne! My triumph will be complete!"

"The dark side is no match for the light!" Alari said.

"The Jedi Council were foolish to let you live. I won't make the same mistake. We shall finish this alone in the ancient Sith tradition; master against apprentice, as it was meant to be!"

He reached a hand toward the ceiling and Carth and Bastila were frozen. Alari attacked, swinging her lightsaber with all the power she could muster. Force attacks were no good- he was too strong, he shrugged them off. Fortunately, the battle was over fairly quickly, as Malak put her in a stasis field and dashed off.

Alari tried to follow him, but the door was locked. She ran around, passing doors, to the other entrance to the room he was in. The battle commenced yet again, but this time it was not so easy. Instead of toying with her as he had before, he locked her in stasis and readied for the final strike

The door opened, and Bastila's lightsaber flew through, striking him. "This isn't over, Malak!" she yelled.

"Your friends do not give up easily," Malak said to the frozen Alari. "You could always inspire loyalty. But even the three of you together cannot stand against my power!"

"For the Jedi!" Bastila rushed him, fighting with a passion and vigor Alari had never seen. Abruptly the stasis field fell, and she could move.

"I'll hold Malak off. You two get out of here! Find the Star Forge!"

The door the fighters were in abruptly closed, just as Carth ran up. "No!" He yelled, and beat against the door with his blaster.

Eventually he stopped, and turned to Alari, breathing heavily. "The door's sealed, we can't get past. Come on! We need to get to the Ebon Hawk!"

"But... Bastila!" Alari said, eyes wide.

"Bastila doesn't stand a chance against Malak, but we can't help her. Not here," he said angrily. "We have to get off this ship and find the Star Forge. That's the key to defeating the Dark Lord!"

When Alari hesitated, he grabbed her shoulder. "Bastila sacrificed herself so we could get away. We can't let her sacrifice be in vain! Come on!"

Alari nodded, and they dashed to the Hawk.


	6. Chapter 6

**"****Where's Bastila?" Jolee demanded as soon as the enemy fighters were dealt with. "What happened on that ship?"  
**** "****We ran into Malak," Carth explains hurriedly. "He would have killed us, but Bastila sacrificed herself so we could get away."**

** "****You mean she's…" Mission looks horrified. "dead?"**

** "****Malak won't kill her," Jolee said irritably. "He'll want to turn her to the dark side and use her Battle Meditation against the Republic. The Sith will win for sure if he does that."**

**"****We can't go back and save her," Alari said, distracted. "Not unless we find the Star Forge first."**

**"****Not so fast," Carth interrupted. "We've got a bigger issue to deal with. They deserve to know the truth about you. Do you to tell them what Malak said or shall I?"**

**"****I don't care what Malak said!" Alari yells. "I'm not Revan. I'm Alari!"**

**Mission looked confused. "Revan? What… what are you talking about? Is this some kind of joke?"  
****No, it's no joke." Carth looked grim. "The Jedi Council captured Revan and erased the Dark Lord's mind, programming in a new identity. Saul Karath told me on the Leviathan and Malak confirmed it!"**

**"****You're Darth Revan?" Mission's eyes were wide. "This.. This is big. Do you remember anything about being the Dark Lord?"**

**"****Small bits, a few strange dreams," she admitted. "Nothing more."**

**"****Just a few flashes? That's it? Nothing else? Then I don't think there's a problem." She nodded. "It seems to me that if you don't really remember anything about being Revan then it doesn't really matter anymore. You are who you are now, right"**

**"****Of course it still matters!" Carth looked angry. "How do we know more memories won't come flooding back? How do we know Revan won't suddenly turn on us? The whole time we've been chasing after Malak we've had his old Sith Master right at our side; listening to our secrets; hearing our plans!"**

**"****I'm sorry Carth…" Alari said dismally. "I wish this wasn't true."**

**"****Hey- you've got nothing to be sorry about!" Mission snapped, glaring at Carth. "You didn't ask for this. Besides, I know you, you're not Revan anymore. Whatever you used to be, you're one of us now."**

**"****I agree with Mission, I swore a life-debt to the person you are, not to the person you were." Mission relayed Zaalbar's speech.**

**"****Big Z and I will stick by you. We owe you our lives; we won't desert you now!" Mission looked confident.**

**"****How can you say that, Mission?" Carth demanded. "The Sith bombed my home world! Revan took away my family and destroyed my life!"**

**"****Everyone knows it was Malak who gave the order to attack your people, Carth," Canderous said. "You can't blame Revan for that.**

**"****I.. I suppose you've proven yourself to be a friend of the Republic by your actions so far.. Revan. But can I trust you? Can any of us?"**

**Alari sighed, very tired, suddenly. "Well Carth, will you stand with me?"**

**"****Well, the others seem to trust you…" he said hesitantly. "and I don't see any other way that we can stop the Sith. And I suppose that Malak is the real enemy here. I really don't have a choice, do I?" **

**"****I won't let you down, Carth, I promise." Alari's voice was firm. **

**"****I want to believe you." He looked at her, as if desperate for an explanation, but looked away fairly quickly. "You've proven yourself time and time again during our mission, but this is a little too much for me to wrap my mind around."**

**"****How do you think I feel?" she demanded.**

**"****This must be even more of a shock to you…" Carth conceded. "I don't know how you even keep going. I guess we both just have to find a way to push forward." **

**He grimaced. "Don't worry, I won't let my personal feelings get in the way of my assignments or this mission. But don't forget, I've sworn an oath to defend the Republic. As long as the mission stays on course, I'll stick with you. But I won't let you betray the Republic under any circumstances."**

**"****So I guess that's in then…" he started when no one said anything."We keep going. We've still got one more Star Map to uncover if we're going to find that Star Forge and save Bastila, so let's do it before it's too late."**


	7. Chapter 7

**Alari- Revan, actually, she'd taken to having the other call her that. It was a reminder of what and who'd she'd been, and what she'd never turn into. When the others said her real name, it didn't really matter. It just took some getting used to.**

**But when Carth said it, that's when it really hurt. They'd gotten so close over the weeks of their mission. He'd treated her like a friend, but now he'd taken to calling her Revan in the coldest voice he could and treating her like he didn't even know her!**

**With a heavy sigh, she put her head down on the dashboard of the cockpit. Life had been so complicated before, but now it was even worse. Now she had a past that wasn't hers even though it was and the man she lo- cared for acted like that was the last thing he wanted, which it probably was.**

** "****To hell with it," she muttered.**

** "****To hell with what?" a voice behind her said. She whirled around. Her eyes widened when she saw who it was. Carth.**

**She wiped the expression from her face a moment later. "Can I help you?" she asked, just as cold as he'd been the past few days in space. **

** "****I… I thought you were asleep," he explained. "When I checked, Mission said you were here."**

** "****Someone has to pilot the Hawk," she said simply. "You were sleeping, and some things needed checking."**

**Carth nodded, and sat in the other chair, checking meters and screes.**

**A moment later, Revan let out a sigh. "Look, can we stop with the stranger routine? You know me, we were friends…"**

**He looked over at her, frowning. "I can't wrap my head around it," he said. "You're… Alari, you're a good person, you help people. How could you have bee- how could you be that monster?"**

** "****I'm not that monster," she said quietly. "I may tell them to call me Revan, because that's who I was and I'm guessing what the Council call me when I'm not around. But I'm not her."**

** "****I still can't wrap my head around it," he repeated stubbornly.**

**Revan smiled sadly and stood, walking to the door. "Then I won't bother you anymore."**

**Carth stood immediately, hand outstretched to stop her. "Wait."**

**She paused and turned back to him, looking annoyed now. "What, Carth? What do you want? I've been here, through thick and thin. I even helped you save your son. I'm not Malak, I'm not who Revan was. I didn't kill your wife."**

**That only succeeded in making him angry. "You think I haven't thought of that? I ****_know _****you weren't the one who killed my wife. I know you didn't bring Dustil into that academy. What I can't understand is that the woman I loved- the woman who saved me- did all that Revan did, and could again!"**

**Revan didn't hear a damn thing he said, it all faded away after… "You love me?" she asked, very quiet. **

**In answer he walked up to her and kissed her. It wasn't chaste, it wasn't sweet. It was a kiss born of passion and desperation. In that moment, Revan understood. He was scared. Scared of losing her, and himself.**

**He nipped her bottom lip when he felt she was distracted, jerking her out of her thoughts and back into the present. She gasped against him quietly, and he took that moment to deepen the kiss. **

**It soon became a battle for dominance, something he won, to her astonishment. She'd never lost once to him, in anything. Instead of getting angry, however, she hummed her approval. Maybe losing to him wouldn't be such a bad thing anymore.**

**Carth pushed her toward toward the wall, trapping her between it and himself. The phrase "caught between a rock and a hard place" came to mind. He was her rock, after all, her guide in this insane world. He could have left her on Taris, but he hadn't. She smiled.**

** "****What's so funny, beautiful?" he panted, pulling back to rest his forehead against hers. **

**Revan shook her head, instead taking the time to divest him of his combat suit and tunic. She pushed him back a bit so she could look at his chest. **

**He was scarred, that much was apparent. There were blaster wounds, vibroblade slashes, and others that Revan didn't dwell on. She leaned forward and kissed one of his scars, making him shudder. She kissed another, and he pulled her back up into another kiss.**

**It was a frenzy to lose clothes at that point. He hit the button to seal the cabin just as she tugged her robes off. There she stood in her underclothes, and then those were gone. **

**His lips drifted down to her neck, and he stayed there for a moment, kissing and nibbling at the flesh there. She hissed as he bit down a little hard, but relaxed again as he laved the mark. And there would be a mark, he'd made sure of it.**

**Carth smiled against her skin, and while she was preoccupied, quite possibly with thoughts of his death, he let his hand fall from her side to the curls at her center. She shivered as his finger trailed closer and closer to her core. His fingers brushed her and her hips bucked, seeking more.**

**He complied, and slowly rocked a finger into her, thrusting gently. She moaned quietly, praising and cursing his name in the same breath. Eventually the coil in her belly snapped, and her teeth clamped down on his shoulder to keep her from crying out and alerting the others what was going on.**

**Revan was shocked. This sort of thing had happened before, she had been a smuggler, but she was a Jedi now. Didn't they frown on this sort of thing. She decided it didn't matter. **

**Instead of worrying, she wrapped her legs around Carth's waist, and he hilted inside of her with one thrust. They both groaned as he began to move, resting his head against her neck. The feelings within the two grew and grew until it was almost too much, and they fell together, sliding down to the floor. **

**There they rested, his arm under her head and her head on his chest. He sighed. This couldn't last, but they could enjoy it. For as long as they had.**


	8. Chapter 8

The last Star Map didn't take long at all to find. Tatooine was Czerka owned, and obtaining a license to get outside of the city was simple. Revan was tasked with killing Sand People, and getting their Gaffi sticks. Instead, she listened to a Duros who told her of a droid that could speak the language of the Sand People.

Yuka Laka, the owner of the shop, was rather cowardly, but he sold the droid for a fair price. It's designation was HK-47. The strange part was that it recognized who she was, as Revan. A very long story that should be saved for another time, she was told.

Speaking with the Sand People was difficult, but their terms were reasonable. All they wanted was moisture vaporators so they could move far from Czerka. In return they gave Revan the Chieftain's Gaffi stick and a map of the Eastern Dune Sea, saying she could likely find the map there.

They, of course, found the map in the den of a Krayt Dragon. A twi'lek hunter, Komad Fortuna helped them kill the beast, earning Revan a Krayt Dragon pearl in the process. Finally,they got to the map and they were on their way.

Back on the ship, however, Revan and Carth became even closer than before. Neither really talked about their feelings, but Revan could sense his turmoil at loving her. She didn't push or pry, he would figure things out in his own time.

Everyone treated her the same way as before, even though they called her Revan. Mission was the most helpful in that regard. Even though she was young, she still knew something was going on between the two.

Revan was sitting in the mess hall of the Ebon Hawk, tinkering away with some parts for HK-47, when Mission sat down in front of her. She frowned at the woman, concerned. "Are you alright?" she asked.

Revan looked up, startled. "Why wouldn't I be?"  
The twi'lek shrugged. "Ever since that fight between you and Carth… I mean, I know you two made up, but you've still been distant."

Revan pursed her lips, and shrugged, focusing yet again on the parts. "Carth and I are… complicated. I know he's trying to forgive me, but there's so much to forgive."

"There's nothing to forgive!" Mission said quickly. "Technically, you didn't do a thing. Can't blame a person for what they don't remember."  
The woman nodded, smiling at the girl. "Alright, I'll try to remember that. Pazaak?"

"You're on."

**What, you thought the story was over? Nah, I've got a happy ending in mind!**


	9. Chapter 9

Carth and Revan were in the cockpit, yet again. Carth was sitting in his usual pilots chair, while Revan stood behind him. She kept glancing back at the wall where they-

Apparently Carth was thinking about it too, because as he looked back, and she looked at him, their eyes met. He smiled and turned back to the window.

"The Star Forge," he said quietly. "I've never seen anything like it." He started typing into the computer. "I'm transmitting these coordinates to Admiral Dodonna. Maybe a quick strike by the Republic can cripple the Sith fleet."

After a few moments, he straightened out again. "Message is away. Now we can just wait for the Republic to show up. We should be safe here- we're outside their sensor range."

All of a sudden, there was a series of rapid fire beeps and red lights flashed. "What's out there?"

"A small vanguard of Sith fighters, coming in hard!" he exclaimed, now entering information furiously. "Someone needs to get on those gun turrets. Take those fighters out before they report our position to the main fleet."

Revan nodded and headed for the turrets.

It didn't take long, there were about four enemy fighters that were no match for her skill in the turrets.

"We've got problems," Carth said as Revan reappeared in the cockpit.

"What's wrong?"

"We've flown into some kind of disruptor field. All my equipment is jammed! We've got a massive override in all systems." He went to work on the dashboard quickly, doing whatever he could to keep them from crashing. "I'm picking up a single planet in the system. I'll try and put us down there. Hold on. This may be a rough landing..."

"Whew!" Mission laughed, grinning at Carth. "Talk about your rough landings! What's the matter? You're flying like you've been on an all night Tarisian ale drinking binge!"

"That disruptor field fried our stabilizers," Carth explained irritably. "We're lucky we even made it down in one piece! But if we can't find the salvage to make repairs, I won't even be able to get the Ebon Hawk airborne again."

"During our rather rapid descent I noticed the hulls of many crashed ships scattered across the landscape," Juhani said drily. "Perhaps the parts you need can be found among their wreckage."

"The Cathar's right," Canderous said rather grudgingly. "This planet's a technological graveyard. I saw dozens of downed ships out there. That disruptor field must have wiped them all out. But where could it be coming from?"

"Even if we get the stabilizers fixed, we'll have to find a way to disable the source of that disruptor field before we can take off," Carth reminded them. "Otherwise we'll end up crashing again."

"That disruptor field could wipe out the Republic fleet!" Revan said, eyes wide.

"You're right!" Carth looked horrified. "That Sith fleet we saw must have some type of protection against the disruptor field. We have to find a way to disable it or the Republic will be slaughtered!"

The smaller of the two droids beeped repeatedly, and Mission spoke up. "He's picking up massive power fluctuations on the ship's sensors. They seem to be coming frm some type of large stone structures to the east..." She frowned. "It looks like some kind of ancient temple."

"Let's go check it out," Revan said, looking determined.

"Good idea," Carth replied. "If that temple's generating power it probably has something to do with that disruptor field."

"Hey!" Mission interrupted. "Don't forget about Bastila, guys! We still have to rescue her too."

"I only hope we're not too late," Juhani said, looking worried. "Bastila has been Malak's prisoner for a long time. If he can turn her to the dark side, she will join him and the Sith will be invincible."

"But Bastila would never turn to the dark side!" Revan was remembering all the conversations they'd had about it, and knew as soon as she said it that she was wrong.

"I fear Bastila will find the lure of the dark side difficult to resist," Jolee said, confirming her suspicions. "She is strong in the Force, but she is also impulsive, willful, proud- all that you once were, Revan."

"I was saved, she may be too."

"I am glad to hear you say that. Now that you know your true identity, I was afraid you might slip back over to the dark side. If Bastila feels as you do, there may yet be hope for her." He didn't look convinced.

"Even if Bastila's on the Star Forge like you think, Jolee then we can't rescue her until we disable that disruptor field." He glanced at the map. "The sooner we investigate that temple, the better."

"What about parts?" Revan asked.

"We can probably find the wreckage of a downed ship along the way. If we're lucky we can salvage some stabilizers from it to get off this planet," Carth told her.

Mission did not looked convinced. "I hope everything goes as smoothly as you said, Carth."


End file.
